Chapter 13: Media

A/N: Hey! I'm sorry, but this chapter is very painfully Gordo-ish. Well, not *too* painful, but whatever.

I just wanted to say that thanks to everyone who reviewed and I'm sorry I don't update as much anymore, but hello, I've got six stories ot be working on here, I can't spend my whole life on it! But special thanks to Sarah, who really forced me to write this, even tough I'm so incredibly busy with soccer and homework and blah and blah... GO SARAH!

***

Lizzie's POV

"Okay, class, just one week until the performance! And... guess what!?" Mr. Dig said dramatically.

"We don't have to do it?" I grumbled under my breath.

I knew I was being a sourpuss, it just was that I was definitely *not* looking forward to having a play about love when my boyfriend wasn't my boyfriend in it, you know what I mean? Sure, Gordo was great, but... he was no Ethan.

"No, Miss McGuire, it hasn't been canceled. In fact, quite the contrary." Mr. Dig took a deep breath. "I got The Los Angeles Leader's Yvonne Keen to report on our play, and TV18, the local Hillridge channel, will also be there, taping the whole thing, and the New York Times editor, Mari Besonen is going to check us out, and maybe even a couple other TV stations!"

The class gasped.

Animated Lizzie: Moi? On TV? Tell me this isn't happening!

As soon as the class had gotten over the shock, they started cheering and whistling and stuff. But I sunk lower into my seat. I could *never* do this!

At the end of class, I was the last one out, and stopped by Mr. Dig's desk.

"Mr. Dig, I wasn't exactly looking forward to this play. I am not good with crowds, I get nervous and sweaty and stuff. But I adjusted. But this news thing... it's too much. I'm going to just, like, freeze on stage."

Mr. Dig smiled. "Oh, okay. You want me to give the part to Miss Saunders?"

I gasped. "No!"

Animated Lizzie: Never!

"I mean... I like the part.. but... uh..." What exactly was I trying to say?

"Miss McGuire, what can *I*do?" Mr. Dig asked.

"I-I don't know." I stuttered. "Maybe I'm losing it."

"Listen, Lizzie, you're a great actress. Don't let anything ruin that. Nervousness... it happens to everyone. It'll go away once you start performing a while."

Animated Lizzie: Did he just call me Lizzie and not Miss McGuire? Whoa, he really *is* serious.

I nodded, totally reassured. "Okay."

***

Gordo POV

I listened to Lizzie squeal about her great dates with Ethan, whine about how hard it'll be to perform in front of the New York Times, and groan about having to do the play with me.

"Gordo, you're awesome and all... it's just... you know, Ethan's my boyfriend. And you're not."

Oh, sure rub it in.

"So... I feel weird trying to act like I love my best guy friend... I hope this sounds right." Lizzie frowned, waiting for a reaction.

No. It sounds completely wrong!

"But it's okay, because Ethan said he's going to take me to the Holy Rigatoni after the performance for a private dinner, so I'm good. What are you doing after the play?"

Go around screaming 'I kissed Lizzie, but she still hates me!'

"Uh... Probably go home, eat dinner, and sleep, like every *normal* teenager." I said, trying not to sound *too* sarcastic.

Lizzie's face softened. "Gordo, there's something wrong. I know it."

I shook my head unconvincingly. "No, everything's just swell."

She raised her eyebrows. "Swell? Okay, Gordo, tell me. I can help."

Oh, sure, she could help. She could help by just staying out of my life and not bring Ethan up for once, but like she cared about me! I was just *Gordo* the wall. *Gordo*, the listener.

More like Gordo the idiot.

Tears were stinging my eyes, but I blinked them in. "No, you can't."

She looked awfully concerned, with her big blue eyes staring at me and the crease in her forehead. 'Stop looking at me like that'. I pleaded in my brain. 'You're killing me!'

"Why?" She asked.

I was about to tell her to get out of my life, but I held it in. "I'm sorry, Lizzie, I have to go." I said, running out of her house, leaving her baffled.

A/N: SSS! (sorry so short) and TBC! R/R please!